Opium War
by kagayaspirits
Summary: The war that brought to everything.
1. Pieces

Opium War is a series of one-shot fanfictions featuring the relationship between England and Hong Kong, with the main theme of one-sided Hong Kong - England. The name 'Opium War' comes from the actual Opium War between China and England in the 19th century, which led to Hong Kong becoming England's colony. Historical events may not be correct, as I have very restricted knowledge about it. I also have no idea about Hongkongers' feelings when they're under England's influence, so the stories are completely fictional. The one-shots in the series are unrelated and can be read separately as they only follow the same theme. There are 4 stories for now, and I'm not at all sure if I'm going to continue or not.

**Pieces**

Featuring: depressing England, one-sided Hong Kong - England, mention of USxUK.

*******

It was a well-known fact that England was most crappy when he was drunk. That was what everyone said.  
Hong Kong knew better.  
He knew that England wasn't at his most unsettled and out-of-character moment when he was drunk, nor when he failed at baking yucky scones, nor even when he was at his table sewing, being a complete sweetheart even though his hands were still dripping blood from the war.  
Only he knew England's moments when he was most breakable.  
On such days, said man would arrive at the international port very late at night. He would try to walk straight and firm like usual, even though his legs were all jelly-like. He would shake Hong Kong's hand, looking all settled and formal as if his own hand wasn't trembling wildly under the thin layer of leather. He would step into Hong Kong's residence, take off his boots and coat, follow Hong Kong into the living room and sit still while waiting for tea.  
He would sip a bit of the warm drink and would put the cup down onto its saucer.  
"He always says that coffee tastes better, that stupid bastard."  
He would always say that sentence, before leaning closer to Hong Kong and burying his face into the other's back. He would lower his head, as Hong Kong gave out a long sigh and turn around, opened up his arms. He would crawl slowly into that embrace, like a child in despair crawling over to his mother. He would stay in those thin, weak arms for a while, before breaking into pieces, scattering all over the dimly-lit living room.  
Hong Kong was always the one who gathered up the heartbroken England and put him together into the usual self that everyone knew. He would kindly carried a newly-mended, all-sleeping-and-careless England back to his honored-guest-only room, place him in the huge double bed that no one else had slept on before, tuck him into the blanket and put down the silk curtain.  
He would close the door behind his back and stay in the room all night, listening to quiet breathing and wiping away tears that only appeared during the slumber. Hong Kong would stay there, staring at the figure that he had been staring at for more than a hundred years. He would sit by the bed besides the window, letting the weak moonlight shine up that face that had imprinted in his mind ever since childhood. He would hesitantly touch the blonde strands of hair, would lean in closer and have himself ghosting right above the sleeping one's lightly-opened mouth. He would steal away a guilty, childish kiss before realizing what he had done.  
He found his lips bitter like coffee.  
The next morning, England woke up to the strangely damp feeling on his lips and the smell of tea from the kitchen. He would sigh at the trail of dried-up tears from the night, would put on an innocent smile and walk into the kitchen.  
When England put on his coat, he thanked Hong Kong and smiled. Hong Kong would shake his head like it was nothing while telling England to come visit again if he wanted.  
After England had left, Hong Kong would run into the room, drop himself on the England-scented mattress and chant:  
"I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry…"  
He apologized so many times his voice finally got broken and funny and choking.

Next time, when England came over all shattered up and mending-needing,  
He would do it again.


	2. Stockholm's syndrome

**Departure**

Featuring: one-sided Hong Kong - England, the East Asian family

*******

Departure, departure  
Oh how sad the word can be…

That was something his little sister Taiwan used to sing, whenever they had to stop playing among the bamboo shoots and come back home for dinner. It was also the song that Taiwan sang in tears as her brother was gathering up his little closet for the trip of his lifetime. It was what she sang when she held his little hands tight, refusing to let go.  
Hong Kong simply shook off his little sister and walked away to the cargo that was waiting for him at the front gate. He put his mini luggage on the opposite seat and looked out the window to his weeping brother and sister.  
He didn't feel sad when he saw them running after the moving cargo to the main street, when his sister tripped over and hit her face onto the hard road and his brother's sad eyes following the cargo as it turned a corner.  
When he arrived at the new mansion, he was led to a Western blonde man. He looked at him with unreadable eyes for a moment before giving a smile.  
"How does it feel like to depart from your family?"

He didn't feel anything. Should he have felt anything at all?

*******

Departure, departure  
How sad the word can be…

A maid was singing the song when Hong Kong came across the kitchen for breakfast.  
"You know that song too?"  
She looked at him with honest brown eyes that sparkled with smiles.  
"Yes, I do. It's such a sad song isn't it? Departure really is something sad. You know, I had to leave…"  
_It is?  
_"…and I've been serving here for many years…"  
_Why is everyone saying that it's such a sad thing? Certainly there's nothing big in leaving for a while..  
_"…and by the way, Sir England left early this morning."  
_Excuse me?  
_"…He always leaves for work early in the morning."  
"Ah, no, he isn't leaving for the office, he's coming home, to his place in the West. Was it Erop…"  
"Excuse me, but did you say that he left for his hometown?"  
"Why yes, he and his officers left really early, when you were still asleep. Didn't he tell you anything last night..Hey, where are you going? What about breakfast?"  
SLAM!

Pat pat pat pat pat pat  
Huff huff huff huff huff

"Hey, isn't that Hong Kong? You got up so early today huh?"  
"Where…is…England…"  
"Oh, Sir England left really early this morning, said he's got some business back home so he had to leave right away."  
"England…"  
"England…"  
"He didn't say anything to me…"

*******

Departure, departure  
How sad the word can be…

"What's with the luggage?"  
"Hong Kong, you scared me! You aren't asleep yet?"  
"What's with the luggage?"  
"Oh, I just got some work to do with Canada so I'm departing tomorrow, but I'll be back soon so it's pretty much nothing…Hey, what are you doing? Don't mess up my stuff, I've just spent time arranging it. Honestly, stop it Hong Kong, or I'll get mad. Geez, what's with you?"  
"…me…"  
"Did you say something Hong Kong?"  
"…ring me…"  
"What is it? Is there something wrong? Tell me, Hong Kong."  
"You're ignoring me…"  
"Haaaaa? Since when did I ignore you? I would never…"  
"Last time you said you'd be back soon and you were gone for months. And the time before that, you just left a note saying that you'd be gone for a while, and you didn't return soon either. And the first time you left, you didn't even tell me!"  
"…Hong Kong?"  
"Why is it that you always have to leave? Why can't you just stay here?"  
"Oh Hong Kong… Listen."  
England stopped his in-process-of-arranging and walked over to a very frustrated and weeping Hong Kong. He picked the little one up and brought him over to the bed. He held the child close to himself as little hands clawed onto his front shirt.  
"Hong Kong, I'm sorry for always having to leave you like this. I don't like it either, and I really want to stay here, such beautiful land, but being a big country means a lot of responsibilities and works and things to do, and I can't just entrust the job to anyone else either, just like how I can't entrust anyone else to take care of you. I'll try to finish the job off quickly and return, all right? Then I'll return and stay with you again…Hong Kong?"  
England sighed. He slowly extracted the tiny fingers from his shirt and put a sleeping Hong Kong down on his bed, before going back to prepare the luggage.  
He found an old photo at the end of the case.  
"Geez, kids are the same everywhere aren't they?"

*******

Departure, departure  
How sad the word can be…

"You've grown quite a lot ever since that time, haven't you?", was the first thing Japan told him when he suddenly burst into Hong Kong's place one morning.  
"What are you doing here?"  
"I'm here to claim you. From today onwards, you are my colony."  
Half a century not seeing each other and Japan had finally gone nuts?  
"I'm already England's."  
"He lost. You belong to me now."  
Huh?  
"Don't make up things Japan. England doesn't lose."  
He didn't, did he?

*******

After being claimed by Japan, Hong Kong started to acting strange.  
He refused to take anything Japanese into his home, refusing to touch the Japanese food that was served for him. He locked himself inside his room all day, refusing to meet anyone else. He refused the opportunity to meet his brothers and sister again.  
He refused to open up again to anyone.  
Anyone else but _him_.

_He told me that he had to leave again for work.  
_"_When are you going to return?", I asked.  
_"_Hmm, I don't know Hong Kong, I might leave for a long while. Things are a mess at home and I need to go clean it up. But I'll return as soon as possible, so don't worry, okay? You're a big boy now, you can take care of yourself for a while when I'm away can't you?"  
_"_Only if you promise me you'll return."  
_"_All right, I promise! That's a good boy."_

"_You'll starve yourself to death if you keep on rejecting food like that, brother."  
__Why should you care? Why should I care?  
__He broke his promise, why can't I just break mine as well?  
__Besides, why bother eating at all? Why bother living at all?  
__He, in the end, will not return, will he?_

*******

Knock knock  
Snap.  
Knock knock  
Snap snap.  
Knock knock knock  
Snap snap snap.  
Knock knock knock  
"Damn you Japan, can't you just leave it?"  
The knocking stopped. Hong Kong shot a final dirty look at the door and closed his eyes.  
Tears couldn't fall, since he'd used up all of them on the day of Japan's victory. Besides, what was the deal in crying by now? It'd been many years and all he could hear was the voice of Japan on the other side of the door, all he could smell was the yakiniku grilling from the kitchen, all he could see was the red-white flag flapping boringly from the window.  
Just like now, when he could only feel the smell of something burnt, like the disgusting scones England used to make…  
Wait, scones?  
No way, Hong Kong shook his head. His nose had been playing tricks on him again, like the first few days after the arrival of Japan, when he could only smell fish and chips coming off from the kitchen. And his eyes only see blue, red and white on the flag post outside.  
Like that certain British flag flapping happily right outside the window…  
What?  
Hong Kong widened his eyes in an instant. Outside of his dusty window, through the rough curtain, embed in the afternoon summer sky, was a colour of prideful blue flapping in the wind.  
He shut his eyes close.  
His eyes and nose had already betrayed him. "Tch.", he laughed bitterly, if only his ears decided to betray him too, then…  
"Geez, after so many years not seeing each other, this is how you're welcoming me back?"  
That. Was the last straw.

Creek.

"Finally, it's about time you get out of there Hong Kong. But look at yourself. What the hell had happened when I was gone? Can't I just leave you alone for a while, this little brat. Ohoh, did you miss me so much you didn't even think of taking care of yourself... Hey, what's wrong Hong Kong? Hello, Earth to Hong Kong! You're listening? Hey, are you all right? Say something."  
Glomp.  
Gentle pat on the head.  
White knuckles trying to rip off the back of the coat.  
Sob.  
Maternal smile.  
"Such a crybaby you are!"

*******

Departure, departure  
Don't leave me again, departure  
Don't leave this lonely land of the backwater world  
Don't leave this lonely me on this lonely land  
Don't leave, cos it's too sad to be apart  
Don't leave, departure.

*******

England put down the paper onto his desk and sighed.  
"Eventually, it comes down to this, huh?"  
He turned off the light in his study, locked the room and tiptoed across the hallway. He stopped in front of a barely-closing door on the right.  
He stood there, staring at the wooden door until he'd be sure that the door itself was already bored of staring at his troubled face. He let out the breathe he was holding, got hold of the door and gently pushed in it. England quietly reached the bed. He stared down at the sleeping figure on the bed, listened to his soft mumbling in his dream.  
He suddenly felt like crying. It was suppose to be "eventually", was it not?

"Hey, you've grown to be quite a gentleman haven't you?",  
"You know, when I first saw you at the doorstep a hundred years ago, all tiny and fragile, I thought: Ahh, this child, I'll definitely protect him, I'll raise him, take care of him, I won't make the same mistakes that I did before. But look at that emotionless handsome face, such troubled child. Looks like I really have to do my best this time. I won't ever let him become another America in the East, no way. Oh, this kid is not shy at all, he's looking at me with such raw curiosity in his eyes. That's it, I'm going to let this kid have the best life ever."  
"It was rather hard to get closer to you, but I didn't do a bad job in befriending you, right? And times with you were really fun too, you were such a lovely child, just the one I was looking forward to."  
"But then again, I've never been able to replace your real family, have I? You still had that sad look in your eyes once in a while, you still trembled uneasily when I hold you, you still turn away when I want to kiss you goodnight. I could give you everything I possess, but not the family that I don't have."  
"It's already time for you to be back to your real family, with your brothers and sister. I'm sorry for keeping you trapped inside this cage I selfishly made, I'm sorry for ripping you away from your family when you were still so young. I was unable to grant my own greedy wish, to be with you. It is no longer important for me to be here."  
"Tomorrow, China will come here and I will hand you back to him. You will be free to go home again, not this silly mansion that had restrained you for so many decades, but your home where you can be happy again. Tomorrow, I doubt I can bid you a proper farewell, I've never been so good with departures and stuff, it always saddens me to wave goodbye."  
"Therefore, goodbye, Hong Kong."

Those were the words that he had planned to say. But in the end, all he could do was a a lingering touch on the dark-coloured head, a hand shutting his own mouth shut to prevent hiccups and sobbing and a messy "I'm sorry" hanging in the air.

*******

Even after England had left the room, the sobbing and hiccups wouldn't stop.  
For Hong Kong was wide awake that night.

*******

_Departure, departure  
__How sad the word can be  
__Departure, departure,  
__Don't leave me again, departure  
__It's too sad to be apart  
__Departure…_

Japan thought that his brother was suffering from Stockholm's syndrome when he saw him grimaced and shed tears at the departing plane to England. The plane was already gone for hours and he still stood there, wordlessly, staring at the endless midnight sky.  
Taiwan thought that her brother was suffering from Stockholm's syndrome when she saw an old picture of him and _that man_ under a pillow in his room. The picture was all ruined with fingerprints and drops of water and Hong Kong was smiling happily in the photo.  
Korea thought that his brother was suffering from Stockholm's syndrome when said brother refused to leave the Western-style mansion that he had been staying in for more than a century. He still stayed in that little room on the right of the hallway and when Korea came over to play, the study and a certain room next to it were always sealed and locked.  
China thought that his brother was suffering from Stockholm's syndrome when he heard him singing that departure song of children while looking out to the horizon from the port. He would stand alone, dipped himself into the purple colour of late afternoon, looking afar to the line where water touched the sky while humming a simple tune under his breath.  
Hong Kong _knew_ that he had been suffering from Stockholm's syndrome for a long time. Ever since he set his eyes on the blonde man sipping up tea in the Western mansion.

It was just one thing, he didn't want to be cured.


	3. Fireworks and polar bear

**Fireworks and polar bear**

Featuring: one-sided Hong Kong - England, hints of USxUK, Canada and Kumajirou's appearances

*******

"Hey, is this seat taken?"  
Canada dropped his hand-me-down-from-big-brother china cup and made a big crash on the floor.

*******

"I'm sorry for freaking you out like that, Hong Kong."  
They were sitting outside in England's garden. A green-dressed fairy was poking Kumajirou's little ears while another red-dressed one sat on Hong Kong's left shoulder.  
"I should be the one to apologize, Canada, I made you surprised."  
"But it was my fault too, I was too taken aback and made the crash…"

Chomp chomp, an elf was chewing Canada's shoelaces.  
"Hong Kong?"  
"Hm?"  
"You just quitted being England' colony recently didn't you?"  
"I didn't quit."  
"Eh.."  
"My big brother forced me to go back home."  
"I see…"  
"Stupid brothers. They're so annoying."  
"My brother's annoying too…"  
Chomp chomp.  
"You're brother's America, right?"  
"Um, yeah, that's him."  
"Oh."

The red-dressed fairy made a funny sound and flew away to sit on Canada's head.

"Hey, Hong Kong.."  
"What's it?"  
"You don't like my big brother, do you?"  
"England used to mention about him a lot, didn't he?"  
"He used to be really happy when he spoke about him, his eyes would glimmer with joy and his smile was always visible on his face, right?"  
"He cried a lot on a fixed day in July, didn't he?"  
"How the hell do you know all of that too?"  
"Cos I'm also his brother."

The elves now decided to attack Hong Kong's legs instead.  
"So, you like England, Hong Kong?", laughed, "Don't make such a serious face, I won't tell my brother, I promise."  
"Yeah…"  
"You love England?"  
"Yes…"  
"Is that why you dislike my brother?"  
"I only want my image in England's eyes is the same as his."  
"So you're jealous of him?"  
"Maybe."  
"Mmm…"  
"Why are you asking me all of this?"  
"Because I love him too?"  
"Should I see you as a rival too?"

"You should have seen your face Hong Kong, it was so serious!!"  
"Cut it out or I'll feed fireworks to your pet."  
"Ahh, leave Kumajirou out of this please! By the way, don't be worry, I don't see England as anyone more than a good brother."  
"I see."

"Hey, Canada?"  
"Yes?"  
"Do you think that I'm a fool? Or I've lost my mind? Or I'm too insane?"  
Chuckled.  
"You and my brother are both fools, both lost your minds, both went insane."  
"I…" A hand on the mouth.  
"But it's all right. Since England's weird, he likes those who are nuts."

"Here here little bear, I've got something red and sparkling for you."  
"Nooooooooooooooo, Kumajirou!!!"  
"I'm only kidding!"  
"You're cruel, Hong Kong!"  
"England's also a fool isn't he?"  
"You realize that we're talking about England being a fool in his garden next to his house during the recess of his meeting?"  
"Yeah, so? He's still a fool."  
Sighed. Smiled. Bright.  
"Yup, he's a fool."  
"Idiot."  
"Lolita complex."  
"Bastard."  
"Workaholic."  
"Bad drinker."  
"Parent."  
"Brother."

"England."

*******

"What are you guys doing in the garden? The meeting's starting!"  
Crash. Another hand-me-down-from-big-brother cup broke into pieces.

"That was already the second time today. Geez…"  
"I'm sorry Hong Kong, but he just caught me off-guarded."  
"Anyway, thanks for today, Canada."  
Snickered.  
"Hey, Hong Kong, Canada, no private talks during the meeting!"

*******

"You're such an idiot, England..."  
"Did you say something, Canada?"  
"Nah, it's nothing! ^_^"


	4. Birthday

**Birthday**

Featuring: one-sided Hong Kong - England, the East Asian family

*******

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY HONG KONG!!!"  
With confettis and streamers and hugs and congrats, that was how Hong Kong was greeted when he got home.

Ah. He remembered. It was his birthday.  
It was his birthday.  
It was his birth…

*******

"What is birthday, England?"  
He used to ask, all out of the blue when they were taking care of the garden.  
"It's the day when you are born.", England answered with a troubled face.  
"Do you like birthdays, England?"  
Drop.  
Spill.  
Dripping.  
"England?"  
"Ah, I'm sorry, Hong Kong."

No one mentioned about the topic again.

"…and they lived happily ever after, with unicorns and fairies and flying scones and magical Brittania and…"  
Yawn.  
"Your stories're lame, England. I don't get any of them!"  
"Why, you're saying that even though you ask me to read them to you every night?"  
Flap flap flap of the curtain.  
"I'm sorry…"  
Pat pat pat on the head.  
"It's ok."

"Lights off now, all right?"  
"Can you sleep with me tonight?"  
"Why? You've always been all right, sleeping alone."  
"I am, but are you?"  
"Of course I am, I'm an adult, and I've always been sleeping on my own."  
"Exactly."

Rustled rustled rustled of the sheet.  
"You're not very cute, Hong Kong!"

Flap flap flap of the curtain.  
"You know Hong Kong, I hate birthdays. They always remind me of the day people leave me. It's scary that even though I've loved them so much, in the end, they all choose to go away. It's even scarier that they didn't feel at all sad about my departure, about mine never to return again."  
"I used to have those that I loved with all of my heart, I used to think that it was all right for us to be together forever, I used to think that we would never be apart. I really treasured them, they were even more than families to me."  
"I guess being with me wasn't fun after all, because eventually, when I woke up in one of the mornings, I found them gone. The day they sneaked out the bed and never to return, they call that "Independence Day" and "birthday"."  
"Hey, Hong Kong, why are those days their birthdays?"  
"Do they really want to get away from me that much?"  
"Was it wrong for me to find them, to grow them, to take care of them, to be fond of them? What did I do wrong? Didn't I love them?"  
"It's pretty funny, but you know, I wonder what I'll do if one day, you find it restraining to be with me too, when you finally realize how unfun, how tiresome, how wrong it is to stay with me. I wonder what I'll do if you decide to run away, I wonder if I should chase after and force you home, or I should just let you go."  
"I wonder what I should do if you decide to call that your birthday too…"

Squeal.  
"Huh…"  
"I won't England. I won't call that day my birthday."  
Squeal.  
"My birthday, to me, is August 29th."

"You're going to regret that, kid."  
"Stupid England. Don't scold me what you're crying."

Flap flap flap of the curtain.  
Pat pat pat on the head.  
"They all said the same thing when they were younger…"

*******

"How was your birthday, Hong Kong?"  
Dripping.  
"Hmm?"  
"July 1st, wasn't it? Did you have a party?"  
"Yeah…"  
Dripping.  
"..stupid China and Korea and Taiwan decided that all on their own. They messed up the whole living room with banners and balloons and disco balls…"  
Dripping.  
"…Japan gave me new games even though he's just sent me a ton last month…"  
Dripping dripping dripping.  
"…it was kinda fun I guess, they really had it big this time, I guess it was one perfect borthday party…"  
Dripping dripping dripping dripping dripping.  
"Only for one little flaw."  
"Wha…What is it?"  
"They got the wrong date."  
Freeze.  
Huh?  
"My birthday doesn't come in two months. And they're already celebrating it firsthanded, geez!"  
"Wait, Hong Kong?"  
"Don't tell you forgot it. It's August 29th."

"You're an idiot, Hong Kong."  
Chuckled.  
"Told you before, don't lecture me when you're crying, England!"


	5. Through the eyes

**Through the eyes**

Featuring: very slightly USxUK and UKxHK.

It feels good to be able to write about UK and HK again, I was half-afraid that the series is done for, since I don't have much inspiration these days. writing this to ask the world: how can you read people's expressions and feelings by looking into their eyes anyway? How are happy eyes different from sad eyes? I don't get the method, so does my HK ^_^

*******

Hong Kong doesn't understand the emotions in England's eyes. No matter what people say about them always being expressive and emotion-dwelling, Hong Kong simply can't see anything when he stared into England's eyes.  
The first day they met, they said England's eyes were brighter than usual, thaat they were full of glimmering light and happiness. Hong Kong didn't see anything. All he could see were the widely-opened arms that greeted him, the salty scent of the ocean overflowing into his nostrils, the wide smile pasted on England's face and the warmth of the hand that held his.  
The day when England had to leave Hong Kong for the first time for work in the West, they said that England's eyes were sad and longing and hesitation, and a bit of nostalgic. Hong Kong couldn't see anything in those beautiful green eyes. There were only the half-hearted smile, the hand patting gently on his head, the officers lining up at the port and the promise of return. In a glimpse, he saw a blond-haired child in his place in England's eyes.  
The day when England returned, they said that England's eyes were joyful and warm, just like his smile. Hong Kong couldn't see how happy those eyes were, he could only imagine when he ran over and hugged England's waist.

They day when Japan came over and declared his claiming over Hong Kong, they said that England's eyes were duller than usual, that they looked afraid and helpless. Hong Kong, as his still-small hands trying to hold on England's sleeve just a little longer when the man was on his way back to the West with backs turned away, couldn't see England's eyes. But he could feel the walls that England built around him was already falling apart.  
The days spent in Japan's hands were the days he kept on seeing England's face on the newspaper, saying things about the war in the Western World. They said England's eyes were full of determination and strength. But since he couldn't read England's eyes even if he was staring at them directly, it was no use in trying to read them all black-and-white on the printed paper. But Hong Kong could see the soldiers behind England, the men armed with weapons and a heart for peace. He could see England's abnormally unformal and messed up, but he had guns in hand. He could see the English flag standing still in the picture frame. He could see the war field. He could feel the taste and smell of gunpowder and engine oil and corpse and war. He could see England struggle with pain as he tried to strike back to Germany. He could see victory, he could see defeat. He could see the world behind England's back.  
They day when England returned, with scars all over and opened wounds still bleeding, Hong Kong closed his eyes and pull him into an embrace. There was no need to read those eyes anymore. There was no need for trying.  
Because England was back.

The days when they spent together, they said that England's eyes grew more and more proud and pleased, as Hong Kong tore off his cocoon to become a fine man. Hong Kong, who was casually holding England's hand and leading him around, couldn't read those expressions. He only saw the mop of golden hair blown in the summer breeze, the various scars on England's body, the silent tears that he shedded at night, the hands getting colder and colder as time went by, the tight embrace that they shared.  
The days and nights that the officers came to see England, they kept on assuring Hong Kong that they were only there for little problems with the motherland, they kept on feeding him the thought that England's eyes were not changing, that they were sparkling and smiling as always. But they couldn't explain why more and more people kept on coming over, why England always held his meetings in secret, why England looked as if he was going to break. Hong Kong couldn't read England's eyes, but he could see everything. He saw the pain embing all over England's small body, the fragile shoulders supporting everything, the rough and scarred hands that unconsicously held his during his sleep. He saw the unnatural smile of England when he said him what was wrong, the single hand that lingered on his arm. He saw the lonely figure of England standing alone on the balcony on cold nights, dressing too lightly and too unformal. He knew the secrets that England held when he sometimes mumbled them in pain, too hurt from holding it all inside.  
"Don't take him away from me. Not him too…"  
They kept on telling him that England was fine, they everything was fine.  
Hong Kong was no longer a kid. He knew it if it was all right or not.  
And he saw the wall that England built around himself was gradually falling down, like the undestructable Berlin Wall cracking into debris.

The day when China came patting on his shoulder and welcomed him home, he was looking into England's eyes. He still couldn't read them, as they were half-lidded and dark from sleepless nights. When Taiwan came running towards him and hugged him from behind, when Korea jumped at him like a cat pouncing a mouse, when China shouted at Korea being annoying, when Japan chuckled slightly, England were not looking at him. He whispered something under his breath, the voice so small and broken Hong Kong couldn't catch any of the words. But he did catch England's last smile before he turned away for the plane.  
Hong Kong couldn't read eyes, but he could read smiles.  
He wanted to call out England's name, wanted to raise out a hand for him, to hold an embrace out like England did on the first day they met, wanted to hold England tight and never let him go. But all he could do was a pathetic "England." on the tip of his tongue. He closed his eyes. It was over.  
His cheek felt cold and his blood boiled. He opened his eyes, but everything was black. His nose were filled with the salty scent of ocean and bitter taste of tea. The hand that covered his eyes wasn't big enough, and from the loops and holes between the fingers, he saw England crying.  
"Thank you, Hong Kong."  
The next time he blinked, England was gone.

Hong Kong can't read the emotions in England's eyes, he can't see the joy nor the pain in those so-called expressive eyes. But he can see everything else, can feel everything else.  
That, alone, is already enough. Because he can see what people can't, he can feel what people can't.  
He can feel England's heart.


End file.
